Friday, October 31, 2014

Today’s
guest is literary fiction author Seth Mullins. He’s talking about his new
novel, What Casts the Shadow and
other writing and non-writing-related things.

During his virtual
book tour with Goddess Fish Promotions, Seth will be awarding one lucky winner
with a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card (winner’s choice). To be
entered for a chance to win, use the
form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit his other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

Seth
Mullins draws upon the great sweep of human soul-journeying to weave his tales.
He's inspired by music, shamanism, dreams and the mysteries and miracles of our
inner life. His greatest love as a writer is for fiction that depicts a journey
towards self-awareness in the deepest sense.

"Probably
the most valuable thing that I learned throughout my spiritual journey in this
life is the importance of trusting in one's self. Many of our cultural lessons
encourage us to ignore or even fear our inner reality. And yet it is this realm
that really does hold the answers to all of our questions, and can point the
way towards the most fulfilling life experiences possible for us."

Mr.
Mullins has lived in Maine, Connecticut, New Mexico, Oregon and Vermont.

Welcome, Seth. Please
tell us a little bit about What Casts the
Shadow.

A troubled young rock musician, a mystic mentor, and a generation
of lost souls longing for a new voice to emerge from the wilderness...

When an altercation outside of a performance venue nearly proves
fatal, Brandon Chane begins to realize how far his life is spinning out of
control. His efforts to channel his pain, frustration and thwarted loves into
his music may not suffice to save him. Then he meets Saul, a crisis counselor
with the soul of an ancient medicine man, and a far-reaching journey of healing
- one that may teach him how to steer away from the very edge of the abyss -
begins.

Excerpt:

First Session with Saul

Saul’s office was arranged much like others I’d seen: A dark
cherry desk, glossy clean; plaques, proclaiming his education and other
achievements, hanging on the wall behind. All the prominent names in the field
of psychology cluttered his bookcase. Most of the titles that Tommy had found
for me at the library made an appearance there. Saul invited me to sit in a
brown leather recliner. I didn’t want to tilt it back; but I kept feeling like
I was about to fall out of that chair when it was in the upright position.

Saul leaned forward and smiled like he harbored a secret. “I’d
like to start, Brandon, by assuring you that there’s absolutely nothing wrong
with you. You have no ‘problems’ per se. You aren’t evil, because there is no
such thing. And if you’re ignorant, then you are no more so than every other
human to ever walk the Earth. Now, is any of that reassuring?”

It almost sounded like he was trying to provoke an argument. Yet
his manner and tone implied that he meant every word he said in the most
literal sense.

“Of course,” he went on, “that’s all true only from a perspective
that you may have to work hard to arrive at. When you’re suffering, it
definitely feels like something is wrong with you; and the seeming causes of
that suffering are problems. They are the embodiment of evil. And every smiling
person you see must be privy to answers that have totally eluded you.”

What do you think
you’re really good at?

Crafting
stories that go beyond escapism and really say something about the human
condition; writing with an ear for musicality in my prose and breathing life
into characters who have depth, who feel real.

What do you think
you’re really bad at?

Keeping
the details straight. My tendency to, say, lose track of new people’s names at
a party plays out in my writing too. Editing can be a headache.

Have you ever had an
imaginary friend?

When
I was maybe four years old I was walking through the woods one day with my
parents and I had the sense that a bear spirit was following, watching over me.
I stayed connected with him for a while after that. Sometimes I was “with” Bear
and sometimes I “became” him in my play-acting.

Do you have any
phobias?

I
sometimes experience anxiety around technology, particular the speed at which
it develops. It moves so fast; and nobody seems quite able to gauge the ways in
which that frenzied rate of change could be affecting us all. So, I can get
sucked in to sci-fi ‘technology gone awry’ scenarios because they feel real to
me.

Ever broken any
bones?

Never.
(So much for cultivating an ‘artist living on the edge’ persona…)

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Today’s
special guest is young adult debut author Kaizen Love. And the feature is her
novel My Name Is Thank-You.

During her
virtual book tour with Goddess Fish Promotions, Kaizen will be awarding a $15
Barnes and Noble or Amazon gift card (winner’s choice) to a lucky winner. To be
entered for a chance to win, use the
form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too.

Bio:

Kaizen Love
is an up and coming writer from Miami, Fl. Her gift is the ability to spin
words into a beautiful web that should enrich the lives of all who read them.
She has a positive and fresh take on life, and has mastered the art of
storytelling. She has spent her time quietly listening to the world around her,
waiting on the moment to share her message of love with the world.

Welcome, Kaizen. Please tell us about
your current release.

My debut
novel is titled My Name Is Thank-You and
it is about two thirteen-year-old girls, one being named Thank-You, and the
other, Josephine. We follow their stories as each chapter alternates between
voices. We follow as they face abuse, fear, rejection, and loneliness. We learn
with them as they discover what it means to forgive, love unconditionally, and
ultimately become a light.

What inspired you to write this book?

I had a
pretty rough childhood myself, so to keep myself distracted, I spent a lot of
time burying my head in books. I would sit in my closet with the tiniest bit of
light sneaking in, and I would use that light to read. As an adult I have
learned forgiveness, humility, mindfulness, and gratitude, amongst other vital
lessons. What inspired me to write this book was the thought, that maybe if I
had a book like "My Name Is Thank-You" when I was a kid, one that
spoke about adult issues in a child's voice, one that would have given me the
insight into all of those things that I would learn as an adult, then maybe I
would not have had to wait so long to understand that life is truly what you
make it, and we all have the ability to choose everyday what kind of day we
will have, what kind of person we will be. Maybe, my journey into gratitude
would have begun a little bit sooner...

Excerpt:

"Everybody got a story. It don’t matter who you is or
where you come from, as long as you got breath in yo body you got a story to
tell. The more people start sharing they stories the faster we gonna learn to
appreciate each other, and recognize how similar we all is. Every human bean is
connected to the other, despite the color they was born wearing or the language
they was born speaking."

What exciting story are you working on
next?

My next novel
is going to be a cross between a journey of self-discovery and romance; I don't
want to give to many details away because I know that my story line can change
at any moment until I type "The End".

When did you first consider yourself a
writer?

Writing to me
has always been as natural as breathing. There isn't a time where I can recall
not considering myself a writer.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's
your work day like? If not, what do you
do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I am
blessed enough to be able to write full time. It can be a challenge at times,
but it is definitely worth it.

What would you say is your interesting
writing quirk?

I talk to
myself out loud while I am writing. Sometimes I catch myself speaking in the
dialects or voices of my characters.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Please welcome today’s guest, historical fiction author Barbara Bettis as she shares about her new novel, The
Heart of the Phoenix.

During her virtual book tour with Goddess Fish Promotions, Barbara will be awarding a $25 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn
winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase
your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops, and enter
there, too!

Bio:

Award-winning
author Barbara Bettis has always loved history and English. As a college
freshman, she considered becoming an archeologist until she realized there
likely would be bugs and snakes involved. And math.

A
former health insurance claims adjuster, a former journalist, a former
journalism teacher, Barbara Bettis plans never to be a “former” author.
Currently, she supports her writing habit as an adjunct English instructor at a
community college near her home in Missouri.

She
now lives in Missouri, where by day she’s a mild-mannered English teacher, and
by night she’s an intrepid plotter of tales featuring heroines to die for—and
heroes to live for.

Welcome, Barbara. Please tell us about
your current release.

Sir Stephen is consumed with revenge. He and his band of
mercenaries The Brotherhood of the Phoenix, have identified a group of renegade
knights who have pillaged and murdered their way from the Holy Land. But
Stephen is hampered in the final confrontation when his childhood nemesis, Lady
Evelynn, turns up and he is forced to take her home.

Here’s
the blurb:

Some call him a ruthless mercenary; she calls him the knight of
her heart.

Memories

Lady
Evelynn’s childhood hero is home—bitter, hard, tempting as sin. And haunted by
secrets. A now-grown Evie offers friendship, but Sir Stephen’s cruel rejection
crushes her, and she resolves to forget him. Yet when an unexpected war throws them
together, she finds love isn’t so easy to dismiss. If only the king hadn’t
betrothed her to another.

Can Be Cruel

Sir
Stephen lives a double life while he seeks the treacherous outlaws who murdered
his friends. Driven by revenge he thinks his heart is closed to love. His
childhood shadow, Lady Evie, unexpectedly challenges that belief. He rebuffs
her, but he can’t forget her, although he knows she’s to wed the king’s
favorite.

And
Deadly

When
his drive for vengeance leads to Evie’s kidnapping, Stephen must choose between
retribution and the love he’s denied too long. Surely King John will see
reason. Convict the murderers; convince the king. Simple. Until a startling
revelation threatens everything.

What inspired you to write this book?

Sir Stephen lost his betrothed in a previous book, and readers (as
well as my editor) asked for his story. I had already started on it. Stephen’s
experiences with King Richard I in the Third Crusade disillusioned him so much,
I couldn’t get him out of my mind. I had to give him his HEA. And who better
than Lady Evelynn, the sister of his dear friend. Plus, Evie had loved him
since she was young. It seemed they belonged together. She, too, had appeared
in earlier books.

Hmmm. Seems like I speak of them as if they are real. That’s
because they are—to me, anyway.

Excerpt:

“You were able to find a ship?” she
asked.

“Yes.” He gestured with the empty
wooden spoon. “We won’t be alone. An emissary for King John bespoke it, but he
agreed to share quarters with us.”

Her head tilted to one side. “How
did you manage that? I can’t imagine a knight with such authority condescending
to share anything with strangers.”

“I told him your brother had ordered
you home and would be furious if you delayed. You and the maid will share a
small cabin, while the lord occupies the captain’s quarters. I have no idea how
large your chamber will be, but we’ll make the best of it.”

“We?” She didn’t look up as she took
another bite.

Damn her, what did she find amusing
in what he’d just said, for there was no mistaking the humor in her voice. She
looked up as he stalked toward the bed. Yes, a mischievous light glimmered in
her eyes. He loomed above her and slowly leaned in.

“You’d best try to appear the
anxious maiden, in fear of her brother,” he warned. “Or questions might arise
that none of us want to answer.”

The amusement faded. “What
questions?” Her breath caressed his cheek.

He reared back. “Just behave
yourself during the passage.”

“This is the second time you’ve
warned me about my conduct. Do you fear I will ride off with one of the
guards?”

He clenched his teeth to hold back a
retort. Let her have her say. She’d be easier to deal with on the morrow if all
her complaints were aired.

“We both know my behavior has been
perfectly appropriate. And I’ve accepted each of your edicts calmly.” Her gaze
flicked away, as if she knew that statement stretched the truth.

“But that’s not the problem, is it?”
she added, her voice low, intent. “Why are you really on this journey, Stephen?
We both know it’s not to protect me.”

What exciting story are you working on
next?
I’m half finished with the story of Evie’s brother, Henry, and the fascinating
Lady Katherine who captures him, thinking he’s a traitor. It’s a novella,
tentatively called Lady of the Forest.

When did you first consider yourself a
writer?

That’s difficult to answer. I spent several years writing
non-fiction (news and feature articles), so the idea of being a writer wasn’t a
difficult one for me to accept. What was, however—calling myself an author.
Semantics, I know. But, really, I wasn’t comfortable saying, “I’m an author,”
until almost time for my first book to come out. Ironic, because I use the two
terms interchangeably when speaking of others.

Do you
write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other
than write and how do you find time to write?

I wish I could write full-time, but I do have a day job as an
adjunct English teacher at a local college. This semester I have only three
classes and the schedule has changed, so I do get a couple of solid days in
there to write—when I don’t have essays to grade, of course. I must get back to
a regular daily output, which I fell away from when I began editing this book.

What would you say is your interesting
writing quirk.

I’m not sure they’re quirks—more like bad habits. When I’m at the
computer, I always have something to sip on, usually hot tea or coffee. No wine
or I fall asleep. When I’m plotting or trying to work through a difficult
scene, I munch while I think. And then I wonder why I’m perpetually on a diet!

As a child, what did you want to be when
you grew up?

Thin. Seriously, I was always making up stories or writing (very
bad) poetry, but I never thought, “I’m going to be a novelist when I grow up.” I
never had one specific career goal. I loved history, learning about other
people in other times, reading their myths and folk tales. Not until I was in
high school did I start “trying on” career options.

Anything additional you want to share
with the readers?

Never say never.In
college, there were two careers I knew I’d never undertake: writing for
newspapers and teaching. Let’s see…I was a full time journalist for 12 years,
and I’ve been a teacher for more than 20.

Never stop pursuing your dream. I have a little pillow in my
bedroom that has the following written on it: Dreams Have No Expiration Date.
Believe in yourself and never give up.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Today's guest is non-fiction writer/journalist Greta Beigel. Her book Kvetch: One Bitch of a Life--A Memoir
of Music & Survival is the topic of conversation, but there's a lot of other fun stuff, too.

Read on!

Bio:

American
journalist Greta Beigel worked for many years as an arts reporter and editor at
the Los Angeles Times. She is the author of three Jewish-themed books: The
humorous/satirical Mewsings: My Life as a
Jewish Cat (also in audio); the short story, “A Jew from Riga,” about her
efforts to learn more about her Dad’s mysterious past, and Kvetch: One Bitch of a Life, a memoir (paperback and e-book) about
growing up an Orthodox Jew and a gifted pianist in South Africa during the
apartheid era. Beigel now lives in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Welcome, Greta.
Please tell us about your current release.

"Kvetch: One Bitch of a Life," recently released in
paperback, tells the courageous true story of the author who grew up in
Johannesburg as a gifted piano prodigy, only to be exploited by her
superambitious mother desperate to be accepted by a scornful Jewish society.
Subtitled "A Memoir of Music & Survival," the book also takes a
hard look at everyday living in apartheid-South Africa, where prejudice
dominated all. The memoir soon migrates to Southern California where our
protagonist morphs from music performer to music scribe, becoming a staff writer
specializing in classical music coverage for the Los Angeles Times. Sadly, once
in America, three chapters call forth the details of sibling sexual
molestation--a subject so taboo, yet one that begs for further public
discourse. The last chapter of "Kvetch" hops around the world, as the
author gets her story down, and seeks a type of spiritual transformation.

What
inspired you to write this book?

All my books to date have been
personal, autobiographical, even my favorite, Mewsings: My Life as Jewish Cat, a humorous, albeit learned take on
Jewish life from one feline’s perspective, but in reality reflections on
Judaism from my alter ego. My desire to pen “Kvetch: One Bitch of a Life,”
evolved over decades. The need was propulsive, with no way out. I felt compelled
to get a certain event, a certain image, a certain dialogue down on paper. I
usually write in cafes, or coffee shops or restaurants, away from my normal
milieu, and carry a notebook and jot thoughts or chapters down in shorthand, a
skill that I learned in Johannesburg in my 20s that sustained my early years as
a newspaper reporter, interviewing celebs in Los Angeles.

Under cover of darkness a secondary
terror rages forth: the abuses of apartheid. Often my mom wakens me, beckoning
me to the window. Fingers to lips, we watch members of the Afrikaner police
force as they conduct raids and make arrests and throw African men into the
backs of waiting vans, as though they’re nothing more than sacks of mealies to
be stacked up one against the other for transport.

For what? These men apparently are
guilty of walking around without the requisite "pass books" documenting
their existence. They can be stopped and picked off the streets at any time and
in any place, and if failing to show reference books, detained. Whites for the
most part merely look on, or cluck-cluck or perhaps even deem it all a good
idea. I often hear shouting from upstairs as a husband or lover or friend of a
servant employed by someone in the building is cornered and carted off by yet
another zealous copper.

History note: In 1947, the Nationalist
Party comes to power. This Afrikaner govt. soon begins its diatribes against
Indians, “Coloreds” and Africans. The Dutch Reform Church sanctifies this
apartheid, or apartness. Now the church makes damn sure that everything shuts
down on Sundays and that cinemas and shops and places to eat remain closed.
They make sure there’s bugger-all for all of us to do. Except go to church, I
suppose. Sex ranks next on the agenda, and the passage of the Immorality Act
mandates sex between whites and non-whites illegal.

Mornings, Johannesburg streets are
jammed with giant green Putco buses packed to capacity with non-white workers
streaming into the city to work as domestics or gardeners. Evenings, the train
station in Hillbrow remains chaotic with workers rushing along non-white
platforms to catch trains alarmingly stacked to the rafters as they head back
to Alexandra or Soweto townships with their shanties and smokestacks and no
water or electricity and marauding tsotsis.

By contrast, whites-only platforms
stand clean and orderly and calm. At virtually all public facilities, separate
entrances exist for blankes and nie-blankes. Signs
are posted in front of banks and at government buildings and outside post
offices. Ironically, the nie-blankes are there for the most part to buy stamps
for the blankes, and yet they have to resort to their separate entrances and
stand in separate lines to make these purchases. Beaches are marked separate,
and park benches painted blankes-only. Restaurants, cinemas, theaters and
concert halls remain the sole purview of us Caucasians.......

What exciting story are you working on
next?

The conclusion of Kvetch refers to my longing to return to live in Hawaii, a place of
great beauty and pineapples, coconut and palm trees. But also enormous social
and economic complexities. Now that I’m back in Honolulu, I’m toying with
writing about the islands in either a blog or a column, covering the joys and
setbacks. Also plan to get back into journalism, and write about classical
music, both online and in print. And perhaps start on that book about a certain
pet sitter.

When
did you first consider yourself a writer?

From a young age, I became fascinated
with the inner workings of newspapers. Perhaps this resulted from my mother's
pushing, for after every musical triumph she'd schlep me to the various
newsrooms for interviews and photographs, and I became fascinated with the
editorial process. Daily, I'd compare arts stories between the morning and
evening papers, and was not above calling editors to point out lapses in
coverage. I also loved entering writing contests. So albeit I was a terrific
pianist, methinks I was always destined to be a music writer and later an
author. I've always loved seeing my name in print.

Are
you a fulltime writer? If not, what else do you do, and how find time to write?

Yes, I write most of the time. I also
need to concentrate on getting the word out about my books. Social media takes
time and we all must engage. It's an ever-evolving process. These days I'm
focusing on making appearances at book clubs.

What
would you say is your fun writing quirk?

As mentioned, I like to write in
cafes, anyway away from home. I also do good works traveling on buses, in fact
public transportation is a great way to get through the slog of research and
underlining, etc. For many years, I've preferred to use computers at
libraries--I have many cards from many cities--to laboring at home alone, and
also enjoy sitting amongst students at university labs and libraries. The
staffers are so helpful with technical stuff. Journalism, far more rigid, is
easier in many ways. I do much research, interview subjects, transcribe my
notes (moaning all the time), and then prepare an outline of the story to
follow. It’s a far easier world of writing, albeit much more disciplined. Once
the story is published, my job is over. But birthing a book, remains a lifetime
commitment.

As
a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

Growing up a lonely child in South
Africa, I became obsessed with British author Enid Blyton who wrote wonderful
mystery series for children. I resolved by age 10 that I, too, would write a
book one day. This pronouncement continued over the years and in many countries
and I would insist that I’d tell my story of growing up a gifted child pianist
with a cruel mother and an absentee father. Even when I worked as a music
journalist for the Times, I’d tell everybody that one day I’d write my story
and be published. I always KNEW. But did not know when.

Allie
will award a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card to one randomly selected
winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your
chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops today and enter
there, too!

Blurb
about Sean’s Sweetheart:

Sean
has spent five years cleaning up his life. He’s shoved his past behind him and
built a profitable business in the town’s most popular dance club. Falling in
love with a college sophomore wasn’t in his plans. But, from the moment he
rescued Talia, she brings out his every protective instinct. He tries to resist
getting involved on a personal level. Talia’s persistence, however, is stronger
than his will.

Despite just ending
an abusive relationship, Talia finds an instant connection with a man unlike
any she’s dated before. Older, tattooed, and totally inappropriate for her,
Talia couldn’t keep Sean off her mind, especially once he calls her
“sweetheart” in that deep drawl of his.

When Talia is in
danger, they discover just how strong their relationship is. Can Sean and his
sweetheart make things last when horrors from their pasts come back to haunt
them and family seems determined to keep them apart?

Excerpt from Sean’s Sweetheart:

Sean
tried to call Talia for the sixth time that week.

“This
is Talia, you know what to do.” But obviously she doesn’t or she’d answer her
damn phone!

He
hung up without leaving a message. He’d left messages earlier in the week. Sent
a couple texts. No response. She was still pissed. But damn it, she’d kissed
him. He just wanted to explain himself. Explain his reasons for pushing her
away. But she wouldn’t answer his call. Again. Sean pulled his arm back to
sling the damn phone at the wall, but he’d just have to replace it. His hand
itched for a handset to slam down. Jabbing at the touchscreen would never
satisfy like slamming a receiver down so hard the phone rang.

Sean
tossed his phone on the table and sank down onto his couch with a sigh. One
kiss and he acted like a lovesick puppy. Frustrated the hell out of him. He was
a grown-ass man who should have better control over himself than that. Maybe it
was a side effect of two years of self-imposed celibacy, you idiot, he chided
himself. Not dating for five years while he got the club going seemed like a
good plan. Until a beautiful, soft woman pressed her lips to his.

He
never should have kissed her back. He should’ve shoved her away the moment she
stepped between his legs. Should have, but didn’t. Oh, no, he pulled her tight
to his chest and kissed her until they both gasped for air and he thought his
lungs might collapse from lack of oxygen. Then he’d moved to that delectable
throat, savoring the feel of her pulse beneath his lips. He’d marked her,
leaving evidence of their passion on her pale skin. He’d thoroughly enjoyed her
soft curves pressed against…

He
had to get out of this apartment.

Bio and
Links:

As
a busy mother of five, Allie sneaks time to write between breakfast and
tickles. Always a Kentucky girl at heart, she currently makes her home near
Nashville.

Friday, October 24, 2014

With one week to go before Halloween, I’d like to introduce you to YA horror/urban fantasy
writer Nicky Peacock. She's visiting with us from ‘across the pond’ to tell us a
bit about Bad Blood – Battle of the
Undead #1 and her personal and writing life.

Let her
know you stopped by with a ‘hi’ in the comments below!

Welcome,
Nicky. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I guess I’ve always been a storyteller, not in a ‘liar
liar pants on fire’ kind of way, although I do work in advertising! When I was
little, kids would crowd around me in the playground and I’d tell them tales of
blood soaked horror filled with vampires, werewolves, ghosts and more.

Yes,
most would consider me a disturbed child, but my playmates couldn’t help
themselves, they’d huddle around me every break time like an ancient tribe
feeding off the fear; and that’s how I learned that horror stories hold a
certain power, no matter what some might say, everyone is addicted to a good
scare, especially if it is somewhat rooted safely in unrealistic beings… or are
they unrealistic?

Writing was really a natural progression. Right now
I’m obsessed with writing: a YA Urban Fantasy novel, a Paranormal Romance
novella series, and several short horror stories! So I’m currently living in a
functional fiction coma – and loving it!

Please tell us about your current
release.

Bad Blood is a YA horror/ urban fantasy that
features vampires VS zombies – it’s a kind of True Blood meets the Walking Dead
for teen and adult readers.

What inspired you to write this book?

I love both
vampire and zombie fiction and actually looked round for a book which had them
fighting against one another, I couldn’t find anything so decided to write it
myself.

Excerpt
from Bad Blood:

We ran to the hospital. On the way, we encountered
hardly anyone, alive or dead. Where were they all? When we arrived at the
hospital car park, I understood. Zombies were pack animals. A massive crowd of
them were crammed in and around the main building like they were waiting for a
concert to start, all barely paying attention to their surroundings and
seemingly swaying against the force of gravity. The other thing was the smell.
When watching horror films filled with shuffling zombies, the horror came from
their ghastly looks—the reminder that death has a tight grip on us all, well,
most of us. But what the filmmakers should focus on—if they could—was the
acidic rank odor zombies gave off. They had been dead barely twenty-four hours.
It took a normal human body at least thirty-six hours to really start to smell,
and that was with a vampire’s heightened senses. These guys smelled like they’d
been out in the sun for three weeks covered in rubbish and besieged by wily
maggots. They were mostly intact, though. Maybe this hospital had been Zombie
Ground Zero. Most had turned so quickly their comrades hadn’t had time to feed.

“Maybe we should try a less populated target.”
Nicholas twitched his nose and turned away from me to dry retch.

“Maybe you should grow a pair.”

“Maybe you should act like a lady.” He now had his
hands on his hips, squaring up for yet another argument.

“Acting like a lady isn’t going to help now, is it?
What do you want me to do? Drop my handkerchief in front of the zombies and
watch them fight one another to scoop it up for me? Moron!”

“Always to the ‘nth degree with you, isn’t it?”

“Shut up. Look, the doors are holding, and they’re
outside, not inside, which means there must be some people left in there alive
to have barricaded this place so tight.”

“Or maybe there are just more zombies in there.”

“Well, there’s definitely a blood bank in there, and
that’ll help matters no end!”

Nicholas looked thoughtful then nodded. He of course
didn’t want to actually say aloud that I’d had a good idea. “So, how do we get
past them?”

I assumed it was a rhetorical question, so I started
down to the car park entrance, where most of the zombies were mobbing. I opened
the outer door as quietly as possible.

“Ladies first,” Nicholas whispered in my ear.

“I thought we’d agreed I wasn’t a lady.” And with
that, I shoved him as hard as I could into the throbbing throng of zombies.

I’m
currently work on Bad Timing, which
is the next in the Battle of the Undead series and also I’m working on an adult
historical urban fantasy based on a Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale (I know
that sounds a bit crazy, but sometimes crazy works, or at least I hope it does!)

When did you first consider yourself a
writer?

I’m still
not even sure I do. Like most published authors I still have to hold down a
full time job – it’s only the top ten percent of authors that get to write for
a living – so I guess it’ll be when I’m in that 10%.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's
your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find
time to write?

Well, I
have an office-based job so have my weekends and nights free to write. It’s
hard work, and you have to give up certain parts of a normal social life to
accommodate it. But it’s worth it. I go to the gym a lot too – I actually find
a good work-out can really simulate your mind as well as your body – so I can
get a lot of scene plotting and dialogue done while on the treadmill.

I also run
a local writer’s group which meet every two weeks. This has been a massive
inspiration for me – as the organizer I kind of have to lead from the front to
encourage other writers to follow their dreams.

What would you say is your interesting
writing quirk?

I write
like I am putting together a movie – I don’t write scenes in order. I think
that by writing them out of order you get to write the scenes you are most
excited about, rather than have to trudge through to get to them – trudgery (not
a word, but should be) makes writing seem like too much work. By writing what
you are excited about at the time, you get to continue that feeling about your
work and hopefully it translates to the reader.

As a child, what did you want to be
when you grew up?

I did want
to be an author. Although I wanted to be slightly richer than I am now! Maybe a
movie deal under my belt…

Anything additional you want to share
with the readers?

I love
talking to readers and value everyone’s opinion, so if you’d like to get in
touch with me you can leave me a comment on my blog.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Today’s special guest is literary fiction writer Benjamin W.DeHaven, and we’re focused on his new book Confessions of a Self-Help Writer.

During his virtual book tour with Goddess Fish Promotions,
Benjamin will be awarding a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card to one
lucky winner plus FIVE signed hard copies (US only) of his novel to even more winners. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free
to visit his other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

A
Graduate of Columbia College in Chicago, Benjamin DeHaven keeps his heart in
Chicago and his soul in New Orleans. He holds a MBA from Tulane and a film
degree from Columbia. Once ejected from a community college for arguing Frost
cried out for acceptance in Birches, he has since written screenplays, traded
futures in Madrid, and was Editor in Chief of the Nola Shopper Newspaper, a
free art newspaper and the 2nd largest monthly paper in the New Orleans, MSA. He
also has a "shout out" in a Jay "Z" Song.

DeHaven,
who currently resides in Las Vegas began his writing career with Stone United,
a Chicago based Film Company, which works primarily in independent film. As an
unknown fiction writer, he feels the best description of himself is a sarcastic
one and is as follows:

Benjamin
W. DeHaven was born on a pool table after a Waylon Jennings' concert in 1977.
His personal success is outweighed only by his stunning good looks and
adherence to unwritten moral guidelines. He has been described as a thinking
man's Tucker Max as well as an idiot's Hunter S. Thompson. His goal is to die
from an unwavering commitment to be more like Hemingway.

He
and Michael Enzo were friends

Blurb
about Confessions of a Self-Help Writer:

A ghost, a philanthropist, a con man, a devout Catholic, a gigolo,
a savior, an heir, a common man, and an addict are just some of the words used
to describe Michael Enzo, who some sources credit with ghost-writing more than
108 self-help books on behalf of celebrities, politicians and business leaders.
After failing to make what he considered to be a positive impact on society he
began to destroy those closest to him including Benjamin DeHaven, the author of
this book, and former collaborator. Defrauding an industry for almost 20 years
by exploiting people's insecurities and profiting from them, more than likely
these friends contributed more to the field of self-help, while profiting from
it, than they will ever know. Believing they could only understand people's
problems by suffering along with them, they lived on the razor's edge. If
you've ever picked up a tell-all biography of a celebrity or a title from the
self-help section at the bookstore, certainly you would question the source. This
is an inside look at the mind of Michael Enzo and it is the author's hope that
people will start helping themselves again after reading it. Discover what
turns someone from preaching salvation towards seeking its destruction. You
won't believe this could be true.

Is your life anything
like it was two years ago?

No.
About 3 years ago I quit a dream job to come home and help my mom who suffers
with Lupus. I took another job running a mechanical company, but roughly 2
years ago, my doctor accidently sent a letter to the employer saying I had
Narcolepsy, which was a disability. It was a disaster, because the employer
assumed I was going to sue him for something and he reacted by forcing me out
and screwing up my insurance. I had just finished a trial about the character
in my book, Michael Enzo. And was immediately thrown into another with the
Department of Labor suing my employer. So 2 years ago was at a pretty low
point, but it was also the time I was writing the most. Plus 2 years ago,
Confessions was just an idea.

Have you ever had an
imaginary friend?Sure,
lots-I wrote a screen play about Solipsism and for a while toyed with the idea
that I was the only thing and everything thing else was a creation of my mind.
Other than Descartes, it’s the only philosophical theory than cannot be proven
or disproven to satisfaction.

Do you have any
phobias?I’m
definitely a germaphobe.

Ever broken any
bones?

I
broke my ankle playing basketball in high school. Which was a blessing because
I had a lot of time to read and get into theater

Any weird things you
do when you’re alone?

I
compulsively clean and throw out everything I own.

What is your favorite
quote and why?

Do
I have to pick just one? –My favorite motivation is probably “If” by Kipling,
and “The Courage of Conviction” by Rita Mae Brown. I read them over and over
again when I need strength.

"It is not only the leader of men,
statesman, philosopher, or poet, that owes this bounden duty to mankind. Every
rustic who delivers in the village alehouse his slow, infrequent sentences, may
help to kill or keep alive the fatal superstitions which clog his race. Every
hard-worked wife of an artisan may transmit to her children beliefs which shall
knit society together, or rend it in pieces. No simplicity of mind, no
obscurity of station, can escape the universal duty of questioning all that we
believe."

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Today I’d
like to introduce you to debut novelist Trae Stratton. He’s telling us a bit about
his novel, To Have and To Hold, and
his writing and personal life.

Please
say ‘hi’ to Trae in the comments so he knows you stopped by!

Bio:

Trae
was born and raised in Queens, N.Y. After 20 years with the NYPD he retired to
fill an urgent vacancy at home: Mr. Mom. He has always enjoyed writing and
continues to outwit the forces of nature and temptation to make time at the
keyboard. His debut novel, To Have and To
Hold, is a charming reminder that life could indeed be fun before cell
phones and that happy endings do exist in the real world if you’re brave enough
to believe in them.

Welcome, Trae. Please tell us about your
current release.

To Have and To Hold is a New
Adult/Family Saga set in the suburbs of New York City during the 1980s-90s. The
plot is anchored to the wedding of Colin MacLann and what happens at his house
as his family and friends get ready for the ceremony. Using that point of view
turns the bride’s identity into an enticing mystery. Readers can try to figure
out which of Colin’s five loves eventually wears the veil with clues they glean
from poignant coming of age flashbacks that tell his story, or just enjoy the
ride. We also get hints from the bride herself during some first person
vignettes that show how she winds up marrying Colin. The big reveal comes in
the final chapter when the bride walks into the church. At the heart of the
book is a deeper question: Fate has a soulmate for all of us, but what happens
if we screw that up with bad decisions? Life isn’t that simple, so I try to make
sure it isn’t obvious who Colin’s soulmate is actually supposed to be. Does Colin
get his act together in time to meet her at the altar or does destiny send him someone
else? That’s also for you, as the reader to decide.

What inspired you to write this book?

The
last chapter came to me first. It’s so momentous when a bride walks into a
church, and I thought how great it would be if I could magnify that with one of
those spine tingling moments like you get at the end of “Officer and a Gentleman”
when Richard Gere walks into the factory and sweeps up Debra Winger. As the
story evolved from there I became inspired by how the people that intersect our
lives for any length of time so often mirror what we think of ourselves and our
mindset for the future. How fate can come full circle or shatter because of the
decisions we all make on a daily basis, and because of that, happily ever after is not an end result,
it’s a fluid state that requires nurturing and maintenance.

Excerpt
from To Have and To Hold:

This excerpt comes from the beginning of the
book and foreshadows how the flashbacks will tell their stories- the bride’s
life came into focus quite suddenly during one illuminating night, while Colin
needed to learn many difficult lessons over the course of his life that taught
him to be his own man, and ultimately what those experiences meant as they fell
in love.

Just
two years ago, marrying Colin seemed so outlandishly impossible. We had known
each other for so

long,
but in so many ways, knew each other so little.

Funny how quickly things can fall
into place once you figure out who you are.

For Colin that’s been a long
journey. For me, most of it came together in one eye-opening, magical night.

I pick up his picture again and look
at him.

I always say I had to find myself.

He always says he had to create
himself.

We’ve drunk a lot of wine long into
the night talking about the difference.

Here we are now though, one of those
first day of the rest of your life days—Hell, I’m going to have a

whole
new name after today!

I wonder what he’s doing right now.
If he’s thinking about this stuff too. I guess he is.

What did mom say last night?

I’ve written my book and he’s
written his. Today we start writing our story, so it’s only natural to

remember
the highlights of the one you’ve just finished…

What exciting story are you working on next?

I was
all set to churn out a psychological thriller, but instead I’ve decided to a
write something for my little girl. She’s three, and I want her to have
something dedicated to her waiting on the shelf for when she’s old enough to
read it. So now my pages are filling up with magic and unicorns, secret
bloodlines and dangerous creatures that live on the edge of twilight, and with border
crossings between the realms of faerie and the world we know- all the things that
live and breathe in YA fiction. It doesn’t have a title yet, but I’m having a
lot of fun working on it!

When did you consider yourself a writer?

Probably
when I joined the staff of SPRING 3100
at the NYPD and started seeing my work published on a regular basis. But as a
self-published novelist it was the realization that people I would never meet
were suddenly paying real money for my book or taking it out of the library and
reading it. Having a book out there is still very new to me, and maybe it’s not
the same for writers of mass market publications, but watching as my book crossed
the border from friends and family to readers everywhere was really quite a
thrill that made me feel like a writer and not just someone who likes to write.

Do you write full time?

I wish
I could, but Mr. Mom is a full-time gig right now. As a result, most of my
writing gets done after everyone else has gone to bed. It can be very
frustrating, so a big key for me is to use the spare moments in my day
preparing for my next writing block by knocking out any promoting, editing or
research at hand. Then when I have available solitude I can just sit down and
write without distraction.

What would you say is your interesting
writing quirk?

Using
unique fonts for each story. It helps me shift back into the right voice and mindset
for whatever I’m working on much quicker. Right now it’s a Unicorn story and
I’m using Harrington. Just seeing how much cooler and atmospheric words like
Unicorn look in Harrington gets me right back into the story. When you have
limited time periods to work with stuff like that is important. You do anything
and everything to get the words flowing again as fast as you can and changing
fonts works for me.

As a child what did you want to be when you
grew up?

As an
adult I can look back and say archaeologist or paleontologist, but as a kid I
didn’t know what those words really meant. I just loved dinosaurs.

Anything additional you want to share with
the readers?

Yes. I
love hearing from you through my contact page or Goodreads. The arguments for
why Colin made a good choice or bad choice, how you figured out who was under
the veil, suggestions about who should get married next or why such and such
character is a jerk, and what the casting would be if To Have and To Hold became a movie and so on are so much fun to
read.

They really are. I don’t get too many of those, so along with interviews
like this, hearing from a reader affords me the opportunity to write back and say
thanks for reading in a meaningful way.

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About Me

I'm a NH native and love New England. I love writing about the region, exploring it on foot, on my bicycle, and in my car. There are so many small communities and fun and interesting people in this area, that I could be here a lifetime and not do all it is I want to do. :)

I'm a moderator at The Writer's Chatroom that hosts live chats with guest authors on Sunday nights 7-9PM EST. Join the e-mail list to get notifications of upcoming guests, then stop in and join the conversation!